Apple posts new web-based Get a Mac ad [video]

updated 10:40 am EDT, Tue September 9, 2008

by MacNN Staff

Web-based Get a Mac ad

A new web-based "Get a Mac" ad from Apple is being circulated online, through sites such as TIME.com. The ad relies on two separate banners, each with video; the focus is on the right one, where "PC" (John Hodgman) drags in an op-ed article, entitled "Stop Switching to Mac." PC claims that people are switching to Macs at an "alarming rate," and that the public needs to know about the crisis.

I think I speak for all PCs everywhere when I say, "What's the deal, people?"

Have things really gotten so bad between us? You used to love my charming little flaws, right? What's changed?

It's Vista, isn't it? You've gotten sick of all the problems and hassles of upgrading. You're tired of the endless security prompts. You were hoping Vista's bugs and glitches would be resolved by now. I understand. I'm a big computer, I'll admit it- Vista hasn't really lived up to expectations. But we're only a few years into it. These things take lots of time and patience.

Or did you finally hear enough Mac superlatives? The simple and intuitive operating system, the hardware and software that's designed to work together, the... you know what, I think we said enough about Mac's superlatives. Nobody cares.

Look, I believe that we can overcome these problems facing us. You need to get back to overlooking my shortcomings. After all, I've overlooked yours for years. I mean, do you really need to hit the space bar that hard? Yet I always keep my mouth shut. That's what you do in relationships, you ignore all the bad stuff, and live with the pain.

So please, stop with the switching already. We'll get through all these issues. Together.

The commercial was actually about nothing, just like Seinfeld show used to be. It was actually meant to have no message at all. It is a pilot for a (presumably) long-running series which will have a story line. It was meant to establish characters and set the tone (comedic, whimsical, oddball) and get people to talk about it. It was also meant to define the ultimate subliminal message: Future... Delicious... Windows.

It has achieved all three objectives quite successfully, without the audience actually realising it. Its job is done; the people are ready for the first episode now.

I am waiting for a commercial mocking the MS "evil empire". Maybe Jerry and Bill playing a Star Wars game together with Bill geeked-out in Darth Vader garb and ending with Jerry saying something like "for the leader of an evil empire, you're not a bad guy." It could be funny and tie in computers and gaming.

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